Dr Kajal Gokal

PhD

Pronouns: She/her
  • Senior Research Associate (Behavioural Medicine)

Please call the press office on 01509 223491 to arrange an interview with Dr Kajal Gokal. Bookings can also be made online at globelynx.com.

Kajal obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Aston University, and her PhD from Loughborough University. Kajal’s PhD research focused on the implementation of a self-managed, physical activity intervention among breast cancer patients during active chemotherapy treatment. The randomised controlled trial found that subjective cognitive function was maintained whilst psychosocial well-being and levels of physical activity improved among female breast cancer patients.

Following the completion of her PhD, Kajal took up a Research Associate position at Coventry University where she worked on a number of NIHR, MRC and CRUK funded projects developing and evaluating digital health interventions. Kajal joined Loughborough as a Senior Research Associate on the Snacktivity project in September 2019.

Kajal’s research focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of health-related behaviour change interventions, and providing individuals with the resources to make positive changes to their health and well-being. Kajal has a strong interest in digital behaviour change interventions and self-managed physical activity interventions. Kajal also has an interest in Psycho-oncology which focuses on aspects of cancer that affect the individual’s lifestyle and psychological well-being.

Featured publications

  • Madigan, C. D., Graham, H. E., Sturgiss, E., Kettle, V. E., Gokal, K., Biddle, G., Taylor, G., & Daley, A. J. (2022). Effectiveness of weight management interventions for adults delivered in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 377, e069719. DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2021-069719
  • Gokal, K., Amos-Hirst, R., Moakes, C. A., Sanders, J. P., Esliger, D. W., Sherar, L. B., Ives, N., Biddle, S., Edwardson, C., Yates, T., Frew, E., Greaves, C., Greenfield, S. M., Jolly, K., Skrybant, M., Maddison, R., Mutrie, N., Parretti, H. M., & Daley, A. J. (2022). Views of the public about Snacktivity™: a small changes approach to promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour. BMC public health, 22(1), 618. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13050-x
  • Milton, K., Poole, K., Cross, A., Gasson, S., Gokal, K., Lyons, K., Pulsford, R., & Jones, A. (2022). 'People don't get cancer, families do': Co-development of a social physical activity intervention for people recently affected by a cancer diagnosis. European journal of cancer care, 31(3), e13573. DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13573
  • Jones, C., Gibbons, M., Magsamen-Conrad, K., Ulanday, K. T., Watterson, J., Oakley-Girvan, I., Houghton, L. C., & Gokal, K. (2022). "Mother's Health and Well-Being Matters: Is a Mediated Social Cohesion Public Health Intervention Feasible?" American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 36(3), 410–420. DOI: 10.1177/08901171211055317
  • Tyldesley-Marshall, N., Greenfield, S. M., Parretti, H. M., Gokal, K., Greaves, C., Jolly, K., Maddison, R., Daley, A. J., & Snacktivity™ Study Team (2022). Snacktivity™ to Promote Physical Activity: a Qualitative Study. International journal of behavioral medicine29(5), 553–564. DOI: 10.1007/s12529-021-10040-y
  • Oakley-Girvan, I., Watterson, J. L., Jones, C., Houghton, L. C., Gibbons, M. P., Gokal, K., & Magsamen-Conrad, K. (2021). Use of Social Media for Cancer Prevention Through Neighborhood Social Cohesion: Protocol for a Feasibility Study. JMIR research protocols, 10(7), e28147. DOI: 10.2196/28147
  • Houghton, L. C., Gibbons, M. P., Shekelle, J., Oakley-Girvan, I., Watterson, J. L., Magsamen-Conrad, K., Jones, C., & Gokal, K. (2021). Free Time For Wellness: a co-designed intervention utilizing social networks to encourage physical activity for cancer prevention among low resourced mothers. BMC public health, 21(1), 1805. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11775-9
  • Sanders, J. P., Biddle, S., Gokal, K., Sherar, L. B., Skrybant, M., Parretti, H. M., Ives, N., Yates, T., Mutrie, N., Daley, A. J., & Snacktivity Study Team (2021). 'Snacktivity™' to increase physical activity: Time to try something different? Preventive medicine, 153, 106851. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106851
  • Fulton, E. A., Newby, K., Kwah, K., Schumacher, L., Gokal, K., Jackson, L. J., Naughton, F., Coleman, T., Owen, A., & Brown, K. E. (2021). A digital behaviour change intervention to increase booking and attendance at Stop Smoking Services: the MyWay feasibility RCT. NIHR Journals Library. DOI: 10.3310/phr09050
  • Fulton, E., Brown, K., Newby, K., Gokal, K., Kwah, K., Jackson, L., Naughton, F., Schumacher, L. & Coleman, T. (2019). Tailored digital behaviour change intervention with e-referral system to increase attendance at NHS Stop Smoking Services (The MyWay Project): study protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial. .BMJ Open 9, 4, 7 p., e028721. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028721
  • Gokal, K., Munir, F., Ahmed, S., Kancherla, K., Wallis, D. (2018). Does walking protect against decline in cognitive functioning among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy? Results from a small randomised controlled trial. PLoS ONE, 13(11), e0206874. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206874
  • Fulton, E., Gokal, K., Griffiths, S., Wild, S. (2018). More than half of adolescent E-Cigarette users had never smoked a cigarette: findings from a study of school children in the UK. Public Health, August. DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.04.014
  • Gokal, K., Wallis, D., Ahmed, S., Boiangiu, I., Kancherla, K., Munir, F. (2016). Effects of a self-managed home-based walking intervention on psychosocial health outcomes for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: a randomised controlled trial. Supportive Care in Cancer, ISSN: 0941-4355. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-015-2884-5.
  • Gokal, K., Munir, F., Wallis, D., Ahmed, S., Boiangiu, I., Kancherla, K. (2015). Can physical activity help to maintain cognitive functioning and psychosocial well-being among breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy? A randomised controlled trial: study protocol. BMC PUBLIC HEALTH, 15, ISSN: 1471-2458. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1751-0.